Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-11-03
WHY DO PEOPLE oRoWNi
A Well Known English Swimmer Ex-
mains the Science of Floating

Well Known English Swimmer Ex-
plains the Science of Floating.
II suppose l remarked to Mr.. johnson,
the well known swimmer that such a cork
as yourself cannot quite understand how a
person sinks "Oh, yes, but | can 1t is only
such as myself, who study the science of
floating, that can understand the mystery of
sinking. A swimmer becomes a swimmer by
endeavoring to find out, not so much how to
swim, as how not to sink. Man or woman
can fioat-there Is no exception. The big
secret is knowing how, and being self pos
seSsed enough-that is, in cases of emergency
to take advantage of ones knowledge. But
directly tue boat capsizes, or the canal bank
subsidies, or the sands shift, or the deep part
of the river uncomfortably asserts itself. the
ignorant mortal ignorant of how TO use his
powers of buoyancy) sets about to sink him
self"
sinks himself, Mr. Johnson l observed,
obviously. YES, sinks himself Up go his
hands, and down he sinks like a fiagstone.
Of the ten thousand and one frenzed actions
in which a drowning man INDUCES not one is
there that lends little Of buoyancy. In the
first place, he clutches at the proverbial
straw, and there is no surer way of sinking
ones self than by thrusting the hands out Of
the water. The consequent lurch of the body
strikes fatal terror i'll the mans heart, he
struggles systematically, and then, bereft as
he is of all consciousness, vanishes to his
doom. Take, as an instance, the yachting
accident oil Ilfracombe the other day. A
joviai party set sail in a crazy fishing smack,
and an extra capful OF wind upset her. In
Stantly there was chaos and confusion, as is
always the case, and fourteen luckless souls
drowned themselves, 1t is simply suicidal
for a non-swimmer TO risk his life in an un-
certain craft
Suppose, then, Mr.. Johnson that you and
| are cruising. The boat has capsized; we
are III the water What am l. non-swimmer,
to dor If there is anything floating catch
at it steadily. The least particle will support
you This beading (which was no more than
an inch squarel would keep your head above
water. But if there is nothing at all within
reach this is what you should don At this
juncture Mr.. johnson sprang to his feet
Throwing back his head, and placing both
hands in the small of his back, his form as
sumed a slanting position. $50 long as you
remained as / am now, so long would you
float
1 HtI IL Is MOI uettSShtIJ IoE Tie Ic1uHc-
ments of floating that ones toes should be
level with his noseF' Not in the least. The
mode of floating in a moment of emergency
is as have just 1lustrated-or, at least, my
experience tells me that it is the safest
and the easiest. 1t would be an inconsider-
able matter for people to familiarize them
selves with the principles of floating, and
simple acquaintance with the subject might
prove to he of life long service. To be of any
real service, swimming must be studied to
perfection. A man or woman is termed
good swimmer land the man or woman comes
to think so too who can manage, say, score
lengths of bath twenty yards long. Here
the water is tepid and smooth, but it is differ
ent at sea. How many yards would that
same swimmer traverse in troublous waters2
But the chances are that he could float till
rescued, which is always the end sought
after.n-Pall Maj Gazette